Dispenser for storage hoppers



Feb. 26, 1963 E. A. WAHL DISPENSER FOR STORAGE HoPPERs 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 3, 1960 Feb. 26, 1963 E. A. WAHL DISPENSER FOR STORAGE HoPPERs 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 3, 1960 Feb. 26, 1963 E. A. WAHL 3,079,050

DISPENSER FoR STORAGE EOEPERS Filed March s, 1960 4 sheets-Sheep;

l y I I l L Feb. 26, 1963 E. A. WAHL DISPENSER FOR STORAGE HoPPERs 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Maron 3,' 1960 IMI,

United States Patent @ddee Sg@ Patented Feb. 2S, 1963 3,679,050 DlSPENSER FR STRAGE HQPPERS Eugene A. Wahl, 394- Forest Ave., Glen Ridge, NJ. Filed Mar. 3, i969, Ser. No. 52,534 Li- Claims. (Cl. Z22- 334) This invention relates to a device for use with a bin or hopper for maintaining the flow of material therefrom, and more particularly to a novel dispenser device adapted to be secured to the hopper, and which extends therewithin, which 'activator device is vibrated and thereby applies vibratory motion directly to the material in the lhopper or bin.

lA common problem encountered in the handling of powdered, granular, pulverized, or the like material, is the feeding of such material from overhead supply or storage bins or hoppers since the material being handled often sticks and bridges within the hopper. Conventional means for inducing ilow of material from such hoppers includes external vibrating devices, internal pulsating .air pads lining the walls of the hopper, mechanically driven rotating agitators, and the like. Rotating agitators are generally impractical on hoppers oi large size because of the diiculty of agitating large masses of powdered material. Also, while vibration of the hopper serves .to prevent sticking and bridging of many materia-ls, it has been found that with some material, a small amount of vibration may not be sutlicient to prevent such sticking and bridging and with externally applied vibration, the structural mass and rigidity of the storage bin' limits the amount of vibration that can be transmitted througl the bin walls, and into and throughout the material contained within the bin.

The present invention overcon es the above shortcom ings of such prior art arrangements by means ol a vibrating device which extends into the hopper and which applies a high amplitude vibratory motion directly to the material therewithin rather than to the material through the hopper walls, for example. Since the activator applies the vibratory motion directly to the material, the device is equally as eiiective on heavy steel plate or concrete storage bins, as on light gauge steel hoppers. Further, the novel activator of my invention is adaptable to any hopper size, lfrom a few cubic feet, to thousands of cubic feet-and to any hopper shape from round to rectangular, with steep or ilat bottoms.

lf desired, or necessary, a relatively slow ranslatory motion may be imparted to the above-described rapidly vibrating activator, and in one of the illustrated embodiments of the invention described hereinbelow, the relatively slow movement of the vibrating device is in a vertical direction, the device being slowly reciprocated with an up and down motion. As will be apparent, the rapid vibratory motion of the device may be combined with other forms of translatory motion such as a slow rotary motion, for example. The combined rapid vibratory motion of the activator and slow translatory motion thereof is especially useful for low density, fibrous materials, such as cotton -linters, and the like, which materials have poor vibration transmission properties., By translating the activator, vibration is carried more readily to other regions of the bin.

ln the illustrated embodiments of the invention, vibration of the device is eiected by rotation of a vertical shaft extending through the device, ,which shaft has secured thereto one or more weights having a center of mass :displaced from the axis of the shaft whereby rotation `of the shaft produces transverse vibration of the device. As will be apparent, other ymeans may be ernployed to impart vibratory motion to the device. Hence, in the embodiment of my invention employing 'an activator which is both vibrated and slowly moved, a large nurnber of combinations of means simultaneously producing the vibrational and translational movement may be employed in accordance with my invention.

An object of this invention is fthe provision of an improved bridge breaker for a hopper for preventing bridging of the material in the hopper during the flow thereof from the hopper.

An' object of this invention is the provision of a vibratory activator vwhich extends into the material within a hopper for application of vibratory motion directly to the Amaterial rather than through the hopper wal-1s.

An object of this invention is the provision of ra novel activator arrangement `for luse in a hopper, which arrangement combines a rapid vibratory motion with a lsl wer translatory motion to insure the flow of material from the hopper.

An obje-ct of this inventio-n is the provision of an activator ararngement for use in a supply hopper and comprising an elongated shaft extending generally vertically into the hopper, rirst means axially `reciprocating the shaft and second means simultaneously vibrating the shaft.

An obiect of this invention is the provision of an activator comprising an' elongated sectionalized columnar member for use in a supply hopper which is easily assembled and which may be easily lengthened or shortened, as desired or necessary.

These and Iother objects and advantages will become apparent yfrom the following description when taken with the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration, and are not to be construed as defining the scope or limits of the invention, reference being had for the latter purpose to the appended claims.

in the drawings wherein like reference characters denote like parts in the several views;

FlG'URE 1 is aside elevational view of an activator arrangement mounted on a hopper, which arrangement embodies my invention, portions of the drawing being sh wn broken away for clarity;

FEGURE 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIGURE l;

FlGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE l;

FGURE 4 is a side elevational View, with parts broken away, of `an activator having a combined vibratory and translatory motion in accordance with my invention;

FlGURE 5 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one section of the vibratory tube shown' 'in FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE -6 is a longitudinal sectional view or" a 1nodilied form of vibrato-ry tube embodying my invention.

The activator arrangement contemplated by this invention is of general utility in dry" material storage', or supply, hoppers from which material is intended to dow. The arrangement includes an elongated vertical tube which extends generally axially of the hopper axis within the hopper. A framework which may include generally `radially flanged ends 33 and'33'. ing a yportion of the vibrated column 30), extends through ported thereon. The hopper, WhiChmaybe of any shape or size, is shown comprising a cylindrical-shaped toppertion 11 and smaller diameter cylindrical-shaped lower discharge end 12 interconnected by an intermediate coneshaped portion 13. A supporting vbeam `14, or the like,

extends across the intakeopening, or upper end, of the .hopper and is secured to theV hopper flange 16 as by threaded fastening means 17.

An inverted U-shaped bracket 18 is secured by bolts 19 to the upper face of the supporting bea-m 14, and a motor .21 is mountedon the bracket 18 which motor may be .an electric motor, a duid operated motor, or any other vsuitable type. For purposes of illustration, a fluid .op-

erated motor is shown having an inlet tube ZZ-adapted for .connection to any suitable source of fluid pressure not shown. The rotatable motor shaft 23 is connected by a -ileirible coupling means 24 to a drive shaft 26 having a weight 27 secured adjacent the-lower end of the shaft by 'means of a set screw 28. The center of mass of the .weight 27 is displaced from the shaft axis (as seen in FIG- URE 2) whereby rotation of the shaft by the motor 21 produces transverse vibration of the shaft. Vibration of the shaft is transmitted to a vertical column, designated generally 30, which column extends into the hopper in direct contact with the lmaterial in the hopper. The weight 27 comprises a portionof a gyrator, designated 27', in FIGURE 1.

VThe -shaft 26 is `mounted in ball bearings 31 which, in turn, are mounted within a tubular member 32 having The tube 32 (comprisan aperture 34 in the supporting beam 14, which aperturezmay be suitably shaped to permit the insertion of the flanged tube therethrough. Fastening means 36 secure the upper `llangedend 33 of the tube 32 to the supi porting beam 14. .A cap 38.11aving an aperture 39,

through which` the s-haft26 extends, closes the upper end vof the, tube 32 and preventsv the entrance of dust, dirt and `material being hoppered from entering the tube 32. A l.generally cylindrically-shaped gyrator housingk 41 is se cured by bolts 42 to the lower end of the tube 32, which #housing encloses the weight 27 and closes the lower end of the tube.

It wiil'be noted that the tube 32 is provided with en:

larged Ainner diameter ends whereby seats 44 for the i outer races of the ball bearings 31 are formed. Further,

the ends of the shaft 26 are threaded as at 46 whereby nuts 47 may be threaded thereto for thrust loading the ball bearings 31 against the radial shoulders 44 formed Yin the tube.

A rod 48 is secured, as by welding 49, to the bottom of the gyrator housing 41 for the support of a vibrated Yframework designated 51. As seen in FIGURES vl and 3, the, framework 51 comprises `a plurality of upwardly .and downwardly inclinedarms 52 and 53 secured to the rod 48 and tube 32, respectively, by suitable four-piece brackets or clamps 54 and 56, respectively, and fastening -meansSL An annular ring 58, having short, inwardly directed supporting stubs 59, is supported by the arms 52,

The annular rings 58 is shape of the hopper and the manner in which the material flows from thehopper. Thus, the framework is designed and constructed to tit within any bin of any configuration, and is located in the bin where the material tends to bridge. It will be apparent, then, that the proper location of the vibrated frame may best be determined experimentally during the feeding of material through the hopper.

Since the framework S1, including the annular ring 58, is secured to the tube 32 and rod 4S, which are vibrated upon rotation of the shaft 26 by the motor 21, it will be apparent that the said framework is vibrated with a rotary vibratory motion of high amplitude along with the vibrating tube and rod. With this novel arrangement, the vibrations are applied directly to the material within the bin, rather than through the hopper walls.

Mostr-materials may be fed out of the hopper, or bin, by the use of the above-described vibrating activator.

ySome materials, such as cotton linters, which are fibrous and of a low density, are particularly -difdcultto feed from storage bins and may Vbridge in such bins despite the use of the novel vibratoryv activator, above-described. In accordance with my invention, a relatively slow translatory'movement may be imparted to the vibrating device; thefsimultaneous vibration and translation of the kdevice. insuring the ow of material from the hopper. Reference is now made to FIGURE 4, of the drawings, wherein there is shown a bin activator which is simultaneously vibrated and reciprocated -in accordance with `my invention. Referring to FIGURE 4, the inverted, U-shaped bracket 18, which is secured to the supporting beam 14 at 4the top of the hopper 10, supports a reciprocating fluid motor 70, which includes a cylinder 71; the cylinder 71 being secured by threadedfastening devices I72 to the upper horizontal end of the bracket 18. A piston 73 is located in the cylinder 71 and is provided 'with a piston rod 74, which extends from bothfaces of the piston through holes in opposite ends of the cylinder. Suitable packing, not shown, provides a seal between the .movable piston rod and cylinder to prevent uid leakage therebetween. The lower extension of the piston, designated 76,-supports a rectangular-shaped bracket member 77, while the' upper end 7S of the piston rod has secured thereto a pair of trol arrn 82 being shown in full lines in the lowermost position thereof, and in broken lines in the uppermost position. 'It will be apparent that the upperfarm 79', on the piston rod 74, functions to actuate the valve control arm in a downward direction, while the arm 81 actuates the control arm 82 in an upward direction upon upward movement of the piston 7 3 in the cylinder 71.

The reversing valve 83, which may be of any suitable construction, has connected thereto a supply, or inlet, line Srand a pair of outlet lines S6 and 87. A suitable source of iluid pressure, comprising a. pump 88 and reservoir 89, for example, is connected to the inletline .84 to the valve, whilefthe output lines 86 and S7 areconnected to oppositeends of the uid cylinder 71. In the lowermost position of the valve control arm 82,.'asshown in solid lines, the reversing v-alve 83 provides a fluideonnection between the inlet line 84 and the line 86 to thelower end of the cylinder 71 while venting the line 87 tothe atmosphere. Conversely, in the uppermost broken line position of the actuating arm 82, the inlet line 84 communicates with the line S7 to the upper end of the cylinder 71 while venting the line to the atmosphere. Thus, it will be understood that, in operation, the vpiston 73, with the piston rod -is a modification of the vibrated column 30 of FIGURE 1, extends through a clearance ho'le 34 in the supporting beam`i14 and comprises a;plur.ality of tubular members,

or sections, 91 having radially hanged ends 92 which are secured together by fastening means 93. By making the columns in sections, the overall length of the column comprises a selected multiple of the individual section length, and columns of various lengths, to lit the bin or hopper size, may be made up by use of the desired number of sections 91. In FiGURE 4, four sections 91 are shown comprising the column 35)'. As in the embodiment of the agitator shown in FIGURE l, the column 39 is vibrated by means of the eccentric weight 27 of the gyrator 27 secured to the lower end of the shaft 25, which shaft is coupled lby the liexible coupling 24 to the motor shaft 23 of the motor 2l. In FIGURE 4, the motor 2l is secured to the supporting bracket 77 which, in turn, is secured to the lower extension 76 of the reciprocating piston rod 74. The inlet line 22 to the motor 21 from the reservoir S9 includes a iiexible section therein allowing for reciprocating motion of the motor.

ln the operation of the device of FIGURE 4, the column 39 and attached framework 5l are vibrated by means of the gyrator 27', and are simultaneously reciprocated by the fluid motor 70. The motor piston 73 is moved very slowly in either direction under control of the reversing valve S3. The pressure to the motor 7o is regulated so that the up and down motion of the piston occurs relatively slowly at, say, one (l) foot per minute, for example, when the hopper 1t) is substantially full of material. It is preferred that the rate of descent of the vibrating structure be governed by the gravity settling of the structure into the bed of material within the hopper, under the in-lluence of vibration. The structure will settle readily into the material, since it is vibrated by the gyrator 27. Thus, it will be understood that it is not particularly intended to have the motor 70 push the column 3u and attached framework Si into the bed of material, although this may occur to some small degree in practice.

Similarly, when retracting the vibrated column 3d" and framework dl upwardly, the reciprocating motor does not forcibly withdraw the structure against the weight of material in the hopper, but is intended, primarily, to lift the eight of the structure itself, while vibration of the structure serves to displace the material in front of the structure as it is moved upwardly to clear the way therefor. lt will be understood, then, that relatively little force is required to reciprocate the vibrating structure. During the downward stroke, the same fluid pressure to the motor 7d would be applied as is required for the upward stroke.

he air pressure required for the upward strolt-e 'would be essentially that required to overcome the weight of the structure being moved, plus some slight amount of friction between the structure and surrounding material, which friction is greatly reduced by having the structure vibrating.

The stroke of the movement, which is governed by the spacing of the switch actuating arms '79 and 3i on the piston rod section 78, may be of any desired length of, say, from between several inches to several feet. The arms 79 and til are preferably movably secured to the piston rod section 78 for adjustment of the stroke. The activator may be 4applied to any size hopper of, say, from one foot diameter by one foot high to titty feet diameter by i160 feet high, but is particularly adapted for use on large hoppers which cannot employ mechanically rotated agitators, since the power requirement thereof would be prohibitive in a practical sense.

Reference is now made -to FGURE 5, of the drawings, wherein there is shown a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an intermediate section 9i of the longitudinal vibrated column 3&3. It will be noted that each section 91 is provided with its own drive shaft section 26 and coupling means fit1, each coupling means comprising a hub portion m2 having a threaded bore M3. The coupling means engage the threaded ends to of the shaft section 2e and thrust load the bearings 3i against the shoulders 4d formed within the tubular section 9i. Set screws like secure the coupling means to the shaft section. The coupling means, which may be of conventional design, may comprise axially extending spaced linger portions 107 formed on the hub im, which fingers interdigitally couple with fingers formed in identical coupling means on the adjoining section to be joined thereto. A rubber spider (not shown) separates the lingers. It will be apparent that as the flanged portions 93 of the sections 91 are secured together, the drive shaft sections 26' are automatically coupled together by the coupling means lill. Such sectionalization ofthe central column Sti not only facilitates placement of the bearings with the column, but also provides some yflexibility as to the length of the column. As shown in FIGURE. 4, gaskets itis are used between the lianges 93.

A further embodiment of the vibrating column, which eliminates the need for the gyrator 27', is shown in FIG- URE 6. Referring to FIGURE 6, the column shown therein is similar to that shown in FIGURE 4 with the addition, however, of eccentric weights 27 which are secured to `the individual drive shaft sections 26 adjacent the bearings 31, which weights provide the necessary vibration to the structure when rotated. The lower end of the column is shown closed by a plate lli; the need for a gyrator thereat being eliminated in the illustrated embodiment. Such a column may be utilized in either the vibratory arrangement or FIGURE l, or the simullaneously vibrated and reciprocated arrangement of FIG- URE 4, for example. Obviously, any desired framework or baiiie arrangement may be secured to the columns shown in FIGURE 6, as is desired or necessary.

Having now described this invention in detail, in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, various modifications and changes will suggest themselves to those skilled in this yart, and it is intended that such changes and modifications shall fall within the spirit Iand scope of the invention as recited in the following claims.

l claim:

l. A dispenser for a storage hopper of the type having vertical side walls and a conical bottom terminating in ya discharge opening, said dispenser comprising:

(a) a hollow column having a drive shaft extending therethrough,

(b) a weight eccentrically secured -to the drive shaft,

(c) means carried by the hopper top and suspending the column coaxially within the hopper,

(d) a rod member extending axially from the lower end of the column, said rod member extending below the plane deining the base of the conical hopper bottom and having an end proximate to the hopper discharge opening,

(e) a mot-or coupled to said drive shaft for rotation thereof,

(f) a ring member spaced from the inner surface of the hopper vertical side walls,

(g) a plurality of rigid, upwardly-inclined arms secured to the ring member and to the said column, and

(il) a plurality of rigid, downwardly-inclined arms secured to the ring member and to the said rod member proximate to the hopper dis-charge opening.

2. The invention as recited in claim l, wherein the said column is slidably suspended within the hopper and including means imparting a reciprocating, axial movement to the column simultaneously during rotation of the said shaft.

3. The invention `as recited in claim l, including a cylindrical chamber having an internal diameter exceeding that of the column, said chamber being secured to the lower end of the column and to the upper end of the said rod member, and wherein the said weight is disposed within the cylindrical chamber.

4. The invention as recited in claim 3, wherein the said column is slidably suspended within the hopper and including means imparting a reciprocatin axial movement vto the column simultaneously during rotation 0f 2,370,769 Barton Mar. 6, 1945 ihe `said shaft. 2,569,085 Wood Vet al Sept. 25, 1951 i 2,662,750 Degan ec. 15, 1953 References Cled 111 the l Of thlS patent 2,913,148 Charcuset et 1 NOV' 17, 1959 `UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 2,988,249 Wahl June 13, 1961 1,842,232 Baker Ian. 19, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,174,348 Damcnd Sept. 26, 1939 22,220,466 Tamminga Nov. 5J 1940 87,426 Austrla Feb. 25, 1922 

1. A DISPENSER FOR A STORAGE HOPPER OF THE TYPE HAVING VERTICAL SIDE WALLS AND A CONICAL BOTTOM TERMINATING IN A DISCHARGE OPENING, SAID DISPENSER COMPRISING: (A) A HOLLOW COLUMN HAVING A DRIVE SHAFT EXTENDING THERETHROUGH, (B) A WEIGHT ECCENTRICALLY SECURED TO THE DRIVE SHAFT, (C) MEANS CARRIED BY THE HOPPER TOP AND SUSPENDING THE COLUMN COAXIALLY WITHIN THE HOPPER, (D) A ROD MEMBER EXTENDING AXIALLY FROM THE LOWER END OF THE COLUMN, SAID ROD MEMBER EXTENDING BELOW THE PLANE DEFINING THE BASE OF THE CONICAL HOPPER BOTTOM AND HAVING AN END PROXIMATE TO THE HOPPER DISCHARGE OPENING, (E) A MOTOR COUPLED TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT FOR ROTATION THEREOF, (F) A RING MEMBER SPACED FROM THE INNER SURFACE OF THE HOPPER VERTICAL SIDE WALLS, 